Victor Osimhen and his Galatasaray S.K. teammates have been promised a €5 million bonus if they eliminate Liverpool F.C. from the UEFA Champions League.
Reports in Turkey say Galatasaray president Dursun Özbek offered the reward if the club secures a place in the quarter-finals following their 1-0 first-leg win over Liverpool in the round of 16.
According to Turkish journalist Ali Naci Küçük, the bonus proposal came from Osimhen during discussions with the club leadership.
“Victor Osimhen said, ‘If we eliminate Liverpool, let the bonus be €5m,’ and President Dursun Özbek accepted this,” Küçük said.
Progressing to the quarter-finals would also bring further financial gains for the Istanbul side, with UEFA set to award around €12 million in prize money if they advance.
According to reports, Osimhen played a decisive role in the first-leg win at RAMS Park. The Nigerian striker set up the only goal of the match, heading a corner back across goal for Mario Lemina to nod past goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili after seven minutes.
The early strike proved enough for Galatasaray to carry a narrow advantage into the return leg at Anfield on March 18.
It was an emotional evening for Osimhen. Moments before kick-off, Galatasaray supporters unveiled a special tifo in memory of his late mother. As the Champions League anthem played, the 27-year-old was visibly moved and struggled to hold back tears.
Despite the emotion, he delivered a strong performance that helped the Turkish champions secure a valuable first-leg lead.
Looking ahead to the decisive clash in England, Osimhen praised his teammates and backed the squad to rise to the challenge.
“Every time we play here it’s so emotional for us. Aside from that, the victory is important,” he said.
“We know next week is going to be really hard, but I believe in this team and the kind of performance we put in against a very good side like Liverpool. I’m optimistic that we can do some damage there at Anfield.”
Osimhen has been one of Galatasaray’s standout performers since making his move to the club permanent last summer.
The Nigerian forward has scored seven goals and provided three assists in nine Champions League appearances this season. He has also recorded 11 goals and four assists in the Turkish Süper Lig, taking his tally across all competitions to 18 goals and seven assists.